Female Pattern Baldness - Causes

There are many potential causes of hair loss, including medical conditions, medications and physical or emotional stress.

FPB is primarily triggered by hormonal imbalance in the body. Conditions, such as anaemia, thyroid, ovarian cysts (PCOS), or menopause, are some of the triggers. What can also activate the disorder is a fall below normal levels in the ‘hair-protective’ female hormone, oestrogen. This ‘ups’ the level of the male hormone testosterone in the body — the result is hair loss.

The other basis of female pattern hair loss is genetics — the problem tends to run in families and is passed on from one generation to the other.

The ‘saving grace’ is, unlike in men, dihydrotestosterone-sensitive hair follicles in women are spread diffusely all over the scalp. Hence, they do not ‘go’ bald (in front and at the top of the head), but lose hair diffusely all over the scalp.

The other basis of female-pattern hair loss is genetics — the problem tends to run in families and is passed on from one generation to the other.

Apart from the aforementioned triggers, the following conditions can also lead to hair loss in characteristic female-pattern baldness: